Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering about September 6 th  in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BRILLIANT YOTIFFAY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a perennial garden Chrysanthemum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yotiffany’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,425. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Yotiffany’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. November, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alva, Fla. in January, 2005. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’ as a new and distinct garden Chrysanthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences.     -   5. Bright yellow-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering occurs about September 6^(th) in the         Northern Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, ‘Yotiffany’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly larger than         plants of ‘Yotiffany’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered two to three days         later than plants of ‘Yotiffany’ when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Yotiffany’ differed in         ray floret color as plants of ‘Yotiffany’ had white-colored ray         florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yellow Nicole’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,757. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Yellow Nicole’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded         than plants of ‘Yellow Nicole’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of ‘Yellow Nicole’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of ‘Yellow Nicole’.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Gold Crest’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,606. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Gold Crest’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more rounded than plants         of ‘Gold Crest’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than         plants of ‘Gold Crest’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had slightly smaller         inflorescences than plants of ‘Gold Crest’.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered two weeks earlier         than plants of ‘Gold Crest’ when grown under natural season         conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. during the late spring and summer in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 32° C. and night temperatures averaged 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-containers under short day/long night conditions. Plants were ten weeks from planting when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Brilliant     Yotiffany’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Yotiffany’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.     No. 17,425. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate root.—About four days at temperatures of             about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About ten to twelve             days at temperatures of about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.             Stems upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly             mounded appearance to the plant. Freely branching habit,             about five lateral branches each with multiple secondary             branches; pinching is not required; dense and full plant             habit. Strong and vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.5 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 27 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 9 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             4.5 cm. Width: About 3 cm. Apex: Acute to mucronate. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses between lateral             lobes mostly parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescence; veins prominent on lower surface. Color:             Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded             foliage, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to             147C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B;             venation, close to 147B. Petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescences description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate-shaped ray florets.             Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage. Disc and             ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.             Inflorescences fragrant, pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower about September 6^(th) in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about four weeks in an outdoor nursery.             Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescence.—About 34 inflorescences develop             per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 11C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.4 cm. Disc diameter: About 2 mm. Receptacle             diameter: About 2 cm. Receptacle height: About 6 mm.             Receptacle color: Close to 147B.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Lanceolate to narrowly oblanceolate;             partially quilled. Orientation: Initially upright, then             about 90° from vertical. Aspect: Initially incurved, then             mostly flat; apices curved upwardly. Length: About 2.1 cm.             Width: About 3.5 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety; longitudinally ribbed. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 180 arranged in about 12 to 13 whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 11A. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 11B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 12A; color does not fade with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 11B; color does not             fade with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About             1.5 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About three to five. Color, immature and             mature: Apex: Close to 12C. Mid-section: Close to 12D. Base:             Close to 157D.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 28             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:             About 2.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Truncate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture,             lower surface: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to             146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4.4 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 3.7 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:             About 2 mm. Angle: Mostly upright to 30° to 40° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close             to 148B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 2A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:             Close to 1C. Ovary color: Close to 157D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemum has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will overwinter in     USDA Zones 5 and higher; plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate high temperature of about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Brilliant Yotiffany’ as illustrated and described. 